The Dark Forest's Revenge
by AmberblazeOfThunderClan
Summary: This story takes place after Bramblestar's Storm. It has been many moons since the Great Battle, and wounds have healed and new life has begun. However, a dark force has begun stalking Firestar's kin, and when the murders begin, every cat starts to fear for their life. When the murderer is finished, will ThunderClan survive?
1. Prologue

**So, this is kind of something I've been wanting to write for a while, so I'm putting my other story on hold. I am going to write both stories, so I don't get** ** _so_** **bored that I stop writing at all.**

Prologue

The dark warrior padded through the forest, growling softly.

"Stupid clans. Now I have to do this alone." she snarled. "I know who I'll start with. I'll wipe Firestar's kin from the lake!"

"This... will be my revenge. The Clans will at last know and fear my name... Mapleshade!"

 **Sorry the prologue is so short, but next I'll do Allegiances. I don't know how much else to put. Also, I'd like to say, at the end of TLH, Mapleshade got chased off, not killed.**


	2. Allegiances

Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader: Bramblestar- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Squirrelflight- ginger she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cats: Leafpool- light brown tabby she-cat

Jayfeather- mottled gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Apprentice, Alderpaw- dark ginger tom

Warriors:

Cloudtail- white long-furred tom with blue eyes

Apprentice, Hollypaw-black she-cat

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches

Thornclaw- golden-brown tabby tom

Brackenfur- golden brown tabby tom

Birchfall- light brown tabby tom

Whitewing- white she-cat with green eyes

Ivypool- silver-and-white she-cat with dark blue eyes

Dovewing- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Sparkpaw- orange tabby she-cat

Mousewhisker- gray and white tom

Berrynose- cream-colored tom

Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell she-cat

Lilyheart- white she-cat with tortoiseshell patches

Cinderheart- gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Lionblaze- golden tabby tom

Bumblestripe- pale gray tom with darker stripes

Blossomfall- tortoiseshell she-cat with white dapples

Apprentice, Sorrelpaw- dark brown she-cat

Molewhisker- cream brown tom

Cherryfall- ginger she-cat

Apprentice, Fernpaw- yellow tabby she-cat

Stormcloud- dark gray tabby tom

Snowbush- white tom

Ambermoon- pale ginger she-cat

Dewnose- gray and white tom

Queens:

Daisy- cream long-furred she-cat

Elders:

Purdy- brown tabby tom

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat

Graystripe- gray tom with darker stripe along his spine.

 **I know some sources say Fernpaw's a tom, but I think she is a she-cat. Also, other clans aren't mattering yet. Is mattering a word?**


	3. A Murder

**To badgutherie: thanks. I was looking at Bramblestar's Storm at lunch, and I realized I forgot Millie! I've added her now but I feel like I forgot someone else.**

Chapter One

"No! Let go of me!" Dovewing screamed in the darkness of the lake, underwater. She thrashed in the grip of the dark cat who was killing her slowly. Thick blood spiraled upward, away from her, forming a path into the stars…

Dovewing sat up, blinking. Ever since a moon ago, she'd started having nightmares of death. She hadn't been able to concentrate, and several cats had asked her what was wrong with her.

She couldn't stop thinking of the dreams.

 _Am I going to die?_

She rose to her paws and padded out into the camp. _Maybe I'll take a walk._ She padded to the entrance, paused, and mewed to Cloudtail, on guard, "I'm going to take a walk."

"Okay," he nodded. She padded through the trees, tasting the air. _I might as well do some hunting. Maybe near the lake._

She headed toward the lake, ears pricked, and paused at the shore. _The lake seems so peaceful…_

A sudden crackle made her whip around, heart pounding. "Who's there?" she called, staring at the tree line. A bush shook slightly, and a cat stepped out, watching her with angry yellow eyes. _Mapleshade!_ Dovewing tried to run past her, but Mapleshade seized her scruff and threw her to the ground. Dovewing scrambled to her feet, unsheathing her claws. Mapleshade lunged at her, clawing across her chest fur. Dovewing shrieked, clawing desperately at Mapleshade's face. Mapleshade responded with seizing Dovewing's neck and biting down hard.

Dovewing struggled, letting out a shrill scream. Blood streamed down her neck, shoulders, and sides as she thrashed wildly. Mapleshade bit harder, and there was an awful crack. Dovewing went limp, and Mapleshade dropped her, smirking. She purred, "Now let the Clans fear an evil murderer!" With that, she brought her claws down on Dovewing's side, leaving five puncture marks in a curved line on her side.

She padded away, vanishing into the shadows…

Back in the ThunderClan camp, Ivypool awoke from an awful nightmare in which cats screamed all around her, and noticed her sister's empty nest…

 **A little bloody, yes, but I needed to set the scene for the further murders.**


	4. Choices

**This chapter will be slightly disturbing. Also an** ** _unexpected_** **villain will be introduced. *disturbing creepy laughter* This chapter is called Choices for a reason.**

Chapter Two

Dovewing opened her eyes and saw a sparkling border of stars under her paws. She turned to the right and saw a beautiful, prey-rich forest filled with cats who seemed so happy. To the left, a dank, dim forest filled with rotting things and angry cats.

"Make your choice, Dovewing. The Dark Forest or StarClan." A voice said. She looked around for the cat who said it, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Come to the Dark Forest, to get your revenge," hissed Mapleshade.

"No way, you're the one who killed me! I wouldn't go over there even if you tried to drag me." Dovewing lifted her nose and stepped to the StarClan side.(Because she was afraid Mapleshade _would_ try to drag her)

"Fine." snapped Mapleshade. "Rot with the goody-goodies forever for all I care. You'll never know who has betrayed your Clan to help me destroy Firestar's kin!"

Dovewing stiffened, then hissed, "I. Don't. Care. If someone is betraying ThunderClan then I will find out."

"Good luck." sneered Mapleshade.

unknown POV

The tom padded down a rotting path. _There._

"Mapleshade!" he called accusingly. "I thought we were going to start with _Leafpool_ or _Jayfeather_ , not Dovewing!" He glared, amber eyes cutting through the darkness. Mapleshade padded toward him, "My _dear_ little kitten, I murder who I want to. What _you_ want doesn't play in. You wanted your revenge. You are getting it. That little she-cat has gotten what she deserves for sneaking off with that ShadowClan warrior and breaking your tiny little heart." She smirked. "Next, I'll need you to draw Jayfeather out of camp, and I will take care of the rest. Don't worry, no one will suspect you, and Bramblestar will make you deputy once all of that kittypet's kin are gone."

The tom stepped into the faint shaft of light, his pale gray fur slashed through with the black stripes. "Yes, that is what I want." he agreed.

"Good, I knew you'd be a good recruit. Just like your sister Blossomfall. Bumblestripe, remember to keep our little conversations _hidden_."

"I know." he nodded.

 **Ooh, Bumblestripe's evil! I'll post more soon, and try to make the chapters longer. But I do have school, so it can be pretty tough.**


	5. Discovery and the Gathering

**Anyone else ever hit the equals key when you want to hit the backspace key?**

Chapter Three

Ivypool padded out of the warriors den, yawning. She glanced around and noticed cats clustering around Squirrelflight, who looked happy to be back on warrior duties, as of four suns(days) ago. Her two kits were apprenticed to Jayfeather and Dovewing.

"Where's Dovewing?" piped an orange tabby nearby. "She said we would do battle training today!" Sparkpaw reared into the air and executed a clumsy series of swipes, then fell back to all fours.

"That's a good question." said Squirrelflight, looking annoyed. "I need her for a border patrol." Cloudtail padded over and meowed, "She went for a walk last night… I don't know why she isn't back."

"Where did she go?" asked Whitewing, looking troubled. "This isn't like her, to wander away."

"She went down to the lake." mewed Cloudtail. "Should we go look for her?"

"Hmm. Whitewing, Cloudtail, Squirrelflight, Ivypool, you go look for her." ordered Bramblestar.

The patrol left and headed down to the lake. As they padded through the undergrowth they all stiffened. Nearing the lake, there was a strong scent of blood. They broke through onto the shore and Whitewing let out a shrill wail. A pale gray shape lay slumped in a pool of thick blood. _No!_ Ivypool thought. She darted forward. Dovewing's eyes were closed and her fur sticky with red. Her neck was at an awkward angle and there was an odd mark on her flank. The whole patrol crowded forward, talking.

"How did this happen?"  
"Was it a rogue?"

"Who would have killed her?"

"I don't understand."

"No! Dovewing!"

"How could any cat do this?"

Because it was clear a cat had done this. No fox or badger or dog could have done it. They solemnly carried her through the trees, to the camp. When they reached the camp, cats crowded all around, babbling. Sparkpaw wailed.

"What… how…" Bramblestar stared in horror at the body. Then he sighed. "Leafpool, Jayfeather… clean her up for the vigil please. We need some hunting patrols."

Jayfeather nodded and the medicine cats headed across the camp to clean her up.

At dusk cats gathered to sit vigil for the dead warrior. Whitewing, Ivypool, Birchfall, Lionblaze, and Sparkpaw sat beside her. Nobody noticed Bumblestripe slip into the warriors den silently, eyes half-closed in a frown.

He curled up in his nest, ready to sleep while outside Dovewing's relatives cleaned the last of the blood from her ruffled gray pelt. "Not keeping vigil, huh?" a mew came from across the den. He jerked his head up, startled. "What?" He glared at the tortoiseshell she-cat watching him with an amused expression. Blossomfall smirked and curled up, calling, "I don't blame you, she was a bit odd." Bumblestripe snorted, and lay back down, to go to sleep.

He opened his eyes into the Dark Forest, sighing. Mapleshade padded toward him and mewed, "Wait to draw Jayfeather out into the forest until after the Gathering. I want to see what the other Clans have to say about that little brat's death. Now let's work on the death blow. I want to see you _improve_ this time." She padded toward him and he readied himself for another night's hard training. For vengeance. For power.

The dawn came and the three elders came and carried Dovewing away. Whitewing wailed, pressing against Birchfall as the elders vanished through the thorn barrier.

"The Gathering is tonight." Bramblestar spoke. "The cats who will be going are Squirrelflight, Ivypool, Cloudtail, Bumblestripe, Mille, Snowbush, Ambermoon, Dewnose, Jayfeather, Alderpaw, Lionblaze, Cinderheart, and Hollypaw."

As the day went on, cats hunted and did all the regular patrols. Sunset grew close and the Gathering patrol clustered by the thorn barrier. Finally it was time, and Bramblestar led the patrol toward the island. Ahead of them WindClan was crossing the bridge. As ThunderClan drew closer WindClan pointedly turned their backs. Behind them ShadowClan was arriving. They crossed the tree bridge and headed into the island. Bramblestar leapt up into the tree with Onestar and Mistystar. Rowanstar arrived and then leapt into the tree.

Mistystar let out a yowl to announce the beginning of the Gathering, then announced RiverClan's news. She then sat down and Onestar announced a fox which had been driven off of WindClan's territory. Rowanstar announced a new litter of kits. Bramblestar felt butterflies in his stomach as he stepped up and announced, "One of our warriors was murdered. A patrol found Dovewing on the lakeshore yesterday morning."

An outraged babble broke out. Cats yowled and hissed, and ONestar said, "I hope you aren't accusing WindClan of doing such a thing!"

"I'm not." Bramblestar growled. "But I want to know who did it."


End file.
